Diagnosis using DCC gene

ABSTRACT

A new human gene termed DCC is disclosed. Methods and kits are provided for assessing mutations of the DCC gene in human tissues and body samples. Insertion, deletion, and point mutations in DCC are observed in human tumor cells. Normal tissues express DCC while most colorectal cancers do not. Loss of wild-type DCC genes is associated with neoplastic progression and a diminished life expectancy.

The U.S. Government has a paid-up license in this invention and the right in limited circumstances to require the patent owner to license others on reasonable terms as provided for by the terms of grant numbers GM07309, GM07184, CA09243, and CA35494, awarded by the National Institutes of Health.

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 08/227,527 filed Apr. 14, 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,108, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/460,981 filed Jan. 4, 1990 (abandoned).

TECHNICAL AREA OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the area of cancer diagnostics. More particularly, the invention relates to detection of the loss and/or alteration of wild-type DCC genes in tumor tissues.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Recent studies have elucidated several genetic alterations that occur during the development of colorectal tumors, the most common of which are deletions of the short arm of chromosome 17 (17p) and the long arm of chromosome 18 (18q). Vogelstein, et al., Science, vol. 244, p. 207 (1989); Fearon, et al., Science, vol. 238, p. 193 (1987); Muleris, et al., Ann. Genet. (Paris), vol. 28, p. 206 (1985); Monpezat, et al., Int. J. Cancer, vol. 41, p. 404 (1988). While some genetic alterations such as RAS gene mutations appear to occur relatively early during colorectal tumor development, chromosome 18q deletions are often late events associated with the transition from Class II to Class III adenomas or the transition from the benign (adenomatous) to the malignant (carcinomatous) state, (Vogelstein et al., New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 319, p. 525, 1988) and appear to be related to metastasis and decreased survival time (Kern, et al., JAMA, vol. 261, pp. 13099-13103, 1989). Because carcinomas are often lethal, while the precursor adenomas are uniformly curable, the delineation of the molecular events mediating this transition are of considerable importance.

Allelic deletions have been reported to encompass a large area of chromosome 18q. (Vogelstein, et al., ibid.) This area is known to contain the BCL-2 gene (Tsujimoto, et al., Science, vol. 226, p. 1097 (1984); and Cleary, et al., Cell, vol. 47, p. 19 (1986),) the gastrin-releasing peptide gene (Spindel, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, vol. 81, p. 5699 (1984),) and the cellular homologue of the YES-1 oncogene (Semba, et al., Science, vol. 227, p. 1038 (1985) and Yoshida, et al., Cytogenet. Cell Genet., vol. 40, p. 786 (1985)). All of these genes are known to be associated with cancers. If a particular region of the chromosome is the target of the deletions, i.e., it is involved in the neoplastic process, precise delineation of the region is necessary to provide methods of diagnosis as well as therapy.

According to the model of Knudson for tumorigenesis (Cancer Research, vol. 45, p. 1482, 1985), there are tumor suppressor genes in all normal cells which, when they become non-functional due to mutation, cause neoplastic development. Evidence for this model has been found in the cases of retinoblastoma and colorectal tumors. The implicated suppressor genes in those tumors, RB and p53, were found to be deleted or altered in many cases of the tumors studied. There is a need in the art of cancer diagnosis and therapy to find other suppressor genes involved in tumorigenesis, so that defects in the suppressor genes or effected cells can be detected and the defects cured to abate or reverse the neoplastic processes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for diagnosing and prognosing a neoplastic tissue of a human.

It is another object of the invention to provide a method of supplying wild-type DCC gene function to a cell which has lost said gene function.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a kit for determination of the nucleotide sequence of the DCC gene by the polymerase chain reaction.

It is still another object of the invention to provide nucleic acid probes for detection of mutations in the human DCC gene.

It is another object of the invention to provide a method of detecting genetic predisposition to cancer.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a cDNA molecule encoding the DCC gene product.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a preparation of the human DCC protein.

These and other objects of the invention are provided by one or more of the embodiments which are described below. In one embodiment of the present invention a method of diagnosing or prognosing a neoplastic tissue of a human is provided comprising: isolating a tissue from a human; and detecting loss of wild-type DCC genes or their expression products from said tissue, said loss indicating neoplasia of the tissue and correlating with metastasis and early death.

In another embodiment of the present invention a method is provided for supplying wild-type DCC gene function to a cell which has lost said gene function by virtue of a mutation in the DCC gene, comprising: introducing a wild-type DCC gene into a cell which has lost said gene function such that said wild-type gene is expressed in the cell.

In another embodiment a method of supplying wild-type DCC gene function to a cell is provided comprising introducing a portion of a wild-type DCC gene into a cell which has lost said gene function such that said portion is expressed in the cell, said portion encoding a part of the DCC protein which is required for non-neoplastic growth of said cell.

In yet another embodiment a kit is provided for determination of the nucleotide sequence of the DCC gene by polymerase chain reaction. The kit comprises: a set of pairs of single stranded DNA primers, the sequence of said set derived from chromosome 18q, said set allowing synthesis of all nucleotides of the DCC gene coding sequences.

In still another embodiment of the invention a nucleic acid probe is provided which is complementary to human wild-type DCC gene coding sequences and which can form mismatches with mutant DCC genes, thereby allowing their detection by enzymatic or chemical cleavage or by shifts in electrophoretic mobility.

In another embodiment a particular nucleic acid probe is provided which hybridizes to a DCC intron which is subject to insertional mutations in tumor cells.

In still another embodiment of the invention a method are provided for detecting the presence of a neoplastic tissue in a human. The methods comprise isolating a body sample from a human; detecting in said sample loss of a wild-type DCC gene sequence or wild-type DCC expression product, said loss indicating the presence of a neoplastic tissue in the human.

In yet another embodiment a method is provided of detecting genetic predisposition to cancer in a human, comprising: isolating a human sample selected from the group consisting of blood and fetal tissue; detecting loss of wild-type DCC gene coding sequences or their expression products from the sample, said loss indicating predisposition to cancer.

In still other embodiments a cDNA molecule is provided which comprises the coding sequence of the DCC gene.

In even another embodiment a preparation of the human DCC protein is provided which is substantially free of other human proteins. The amino acid sequence of the protein is shown in FIG. 5.

The present invention provides the art with the information that the DCC gene, a heretofore unknown gene is, in fact, the target of deletional, insertional, and point mutational alterations on chromosome 18q and that these alterations are associated with the process of tumorigenesis. This information allows highly specific assays to be performed to assess the neoplastic status of a particular tissue or the potential neoplastic status of an individual.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 presents a map of the chromosomal walk and cross-hybridizing fragments in the DCC region. The DNA region of approximately 370 kb, cloned in 30 rounds of walking, is shown; only the maximal walk for each of the rounds is shown. The map position at "O" marks the location of p15-65. An EcoRI map for the region was constructed and the EcoRI fragments that hybridized at reduced stringency (55° C.) to rodent, chicken, or Xenopus DNA samples are indicated by solid boxes and alphabetical letters (A-X). Human fragments G, I, J, K, M, O, and P were used to isolate rat clones. The minimal region of cross-hybridization was identified and sequenced for both human and rat fragments. The locations of the EcoRI fragments that hybridized to human cDNA clones are indicated by arrows.

FIG. 2 shows autoradiographs of Southern blots of DNA from mouse (M), rat (R), hamster (H), chicken (C), Xenopus laevis (F), and S. cerevisiae (Y) hybridized to human fragment O (in the panel on the left) and human fragment P (in the panel on the right). The sizes of the corresponding molecular weight markers in kilobases are indicated between the two panels.

FIG. 3 shows the nucleotide sequence, predicted amino acid (AA) sequence (in single letter code) and splice acceptor and donor features of some human fragments and their corresponding rat homologues. Nucleotide sequences of the rat fragments were identical to those of the human except where indicated. When the predicted amino acid sequence of the rat differed from that of the human, the human sequence is given on the left of the slash and the rat sequence on the right. The regions in human fragment O and P where no corresponding sequence was available for the rat are indicated by the dashed lines. The predicted intron-exon boundaries are indicated by solid arrowheads, and the potential lariat signal preceding the splice acceptor sequence is overlined.

FIG. 4 shows the nucleotide sequence derived from overlapping cDNA clones, prepared from mRNA of either the H82 cell line or from normal human brain. The methionine codon initiating the open reading frame (ORF) is designated as amino acid 202 and the last amino acid is numbered 1648.

FIG. 5 demonstrates expression of DCC in human tumors and colorectal tumor cell lines. RNA was isolated and used as template to prepare a first strand of cDNA. The cDNA samples were used for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. The PCR products were separated by electrophoresis through an agarose gel, and after Southern transfer, hybridized to a radioactively-labeled subclone of fragment P. RNA was isolated from normal human brain (lane 1), four different normal colonic mucosa specimens (lanes 2-5) or colorectal carcinoma cell lines (lane 6-16).

FIG. 6 shows the sequence of the 170 bp XbaI-Eco0109 fragment to which the insertions shown in panel A were localized. The numbers above the sequence indicate the distance in bp from the 3' end of the exon contained in fragment P. The XbaI and Eco0109 restriction sites are indicated. The two regions of TA repeats are overlined, and the 130 bp region of alternating purine-pyrimidine sequence is contained between the arrowheads.

FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C show comparison of the sequence homology of the four immunoglobulin-like domains of DCC with one another and with chicken N-CAM [N-CAM(c)] and mouse N-CAM [N-CAM(m)]. The N-CAM(c) and N-CAM(m) sequences shown represent the consensus of the five Ig-like domains present in each protein; if no consensus was present at a particular position of N-CAM(c) or N-CAM(m) (i.e., if no two domains contained the identical residue), then the position is indicated by an X. Spaces inserted for alignment are indicated by a dash. The conserved cysteines thought to be involved in intra-domain disulfide pairing are indicated by solid triangles; other amino acid residues highly conserved in N-CAM and other similar Ig-like domains of the C2 class (Williams, et al., Ann. Rev. Immunol., vol. 6, p. 381, (1988)) are noted by open triangles. Sequences were aligned by inspection to give the greatest overall match. Residues in two or more of the DCC domains were boxed if they were identical. The N-CAM(c) and N-CAM(m) consensus sequences were boxed if they matched the DCC consensus.

FIGS. 7D and 7E show a comparison of the sequence homology between DCC and chicken and mouse N-CAM in the fibronectin-type III-related regions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is a discovery of the present invention that mutational events associated with tumorigenesis occur in a previously unknown gene on chromosome 18q named here the DCC (Deleted in Colorectal Carcinomas) gene. Although it was previously known that deletion of alleles on chromosome 18q were common in certain types of cancers, it was not known that the target gene of these deletions was the DCC gene. Further it was not known that other types of mutational events in the DCC gene are also associated with cancers. The mutations of the DCC gene involve grass rearrangements such as insertions and deletions. However point mutations, which lead to loss of expression of wild-type DCC have also been observed.

According to the diagnostic and prognostic method of the present invention, loss of the wild-type gene is detected. The loss may be due to either lnsertional, deletional or point mutational events. If only a single allele is mutated, an early neoplastic state is indicated. However, if both alleles are mutated then a late neoplastic state is indicated. The finding of DCC mutations thus provides both diagnostic and prognostic information. A DCC allele which is not deleted (e.g., that on the sister chromosome to a chromosome carrying a DCC deletion) can be screened for other mutations, such as insertions, small deletions, and point mutations. It is believed that most mutations found in tumor tissues will be those leading to greatly decreased expression of the DCC gene product. However, mutations leading to non-functional gene products would also lead to a cancerous state. Point mutational events may occur in regulatory regions, such as in the promoter of the gene, leading to loss or diminution of expression of the mRNA. Point mutations may also abolish proper RNA processing, leading to loss of expression of the DCC gene product.

In order to detect the loss of the wild-type DCC gene in a tissue, it is helpful to isolate the tissue free from surrounding normal tissues. Means for enriching a tissue preparation for tumor cells are known in the art. For example, the tissue may be isolated from paraffin or cryostat sections. Cancer cells may also be separated from normal cells by flow cytometry. These as well as other techniques for separating tumor from normal cells are well known in the art. If the tumor tissue is highly contaminated with normal cells, detection of mutations is more difficult.

Detection of point mutations may be accomplished by molecular cloning of the allele (or alleles) present in the tumor tissue and sequencing that allele(s) using techniques well known in the art. Alternatively, the polymerase chain reaction can be used to amplify gene sequences directly from a genomic DNA preparation from the tumor tissue. The DNA sequence of the amplified sequences can then be determined. The polymerase chain reaction itself is well known in the art. See, e.g., Saiki et al., Science, Vol. 239, p. 487, 1988; U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,203; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,195. Specific primers which can be used in order to amplify the gene will be discussed in more detail below. Insertions and deletions of genes can also be detected by these techniques. In addition, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) probes for the gene or surrounding marker genes can be used to score loss of an allele or an insertion in a polymorphic fragment. Other techniques for detecting insertions and deletions as are known in the art can be used.

Loss of wild-type genes can also be detected on the basis of the loss of a wild-type expression product of the gene. Such expression products include both the mRNA as well as the protein product itself. Point mutations may be detected by amplifying and sequencing the mRNA or via molecular cloning of cDNA made from the mRNA. The sequence of the cloned cDNA can be determined using DNA sequencing techniques which are well known in the art. The cDNA can also be sequenced via the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which will be discussed in more detail below.

Mismatches, according to the present invention are hybridized nucleic acid duplexes which are not 100% homologous. The lack of total homology may be due to deletions, insertions, substitutions or frameshift mutations. Mismatch detection can be used to detect point mutations in the gene or its mRNA product. While these techniques are less sensitive than sequencing, they are simpler to perform on a large number of tumors. An example of a mismatch cleavage technique is the RNase protection method, which is described in detail in Winter et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, Vol. 82, p. 7875, 1985 and Meyers et al., Science, Vol. 230, p. 1242, 1985. In the practice of the present invention the method involves the use of a labeled riboprobe which is complementary to the human wild-type gene coding sequence. The riboprobe and either mRNA or DNA isolated from the tumor tissue are annealed (hybridized) together and subsequently digested with the enzyme RNase A which is able to detect some mismatches in a duplex RNA structure. If a mismatch is detected by RNase A, it cleaves at the site of the mismatch. Thus, when the annealed RNA preparation is separated on an electrophoretic gel matrix, if a mismatch has been detected and cleaved by RNase A, an RNA product will be seen which is smaller than the full-length-duplex RNA for the riboprobe and the mRNA or DNA. The riboprobe need not be the full length of the DCC mRNA or gene but can be a segment of either. If the riboprobe comprises only a segment of the DCC mRNA or gene it will be desirable to use a number of these probes to screen the whole mRNA sequence for mismatches.

In similar fashion, DNA probes can be used to detect mismatches, through enzymatic or chemical cleavage. See, e.g., Cotton et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, vol. 85, 4397, 1988; and Shenk et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, vol. 72, p. 989, 1975. Alternatively, mismatches can be detected by shifts in the electrophoretic mobility of mismatched duplexes relative to matched duplexes. See, e.g., Cariello, Human Genetics, vol. 42, p. 726, 1988. With either riboprobes or DNA probes, the cellular mRNA or DNA which might contain a mutation can be amplified using PCR (see below) before hybridization. Changes in DNA of the DCC gene can also be detected using Southern hybridization, especially if the changes are gross rearrangements, such as deletions and insertions.

DNA sequences of the DCC gene from the tumor tissue which have been amplified by use of polymerase chain reaction may also be screened using allele-specific probes. These probes are nucleic acid oligomers, each of which contains a region of the DCC gene sequence harboring a known mutation. For example, one oligomer may be about 30 nucleotides in length, corresponding to a portion of the DCC gene sequence. By use of a battery of such allele-specific probes, the PCR amplification products can be screened to identify the presence of a previously identified mutation in the DCC gene. Hybridization of allele-specific probes with amplified DCC sequences can be performed, for example, on a nylon filter. Hybridization to a particular probe under stringent hybridization conditions indicates the presence of the same mutation in the tumor tissue as in the allele-specific probe.

Loss of DCC mRNA expression can be detected by any technique known in the art. These include Northern analysis, PCR amplification and RNase protection. Diminished mRNA expression indicates a loss or the wild-type DCC gene.

Loss of wild-type DCC genes can also be detected by screening for loss of wild-type DCC protein. For example, monoclonal antibodies immunoreactive with DCC can be used to screen a tissue. Lack of antigen would indicate a DCC mutation. Antibodies specific for mutant alleles could also be used to detect mutant DCC gene product. Such immunological assays could be done in any convenient format known in the art. These include Western blots, immunohistochemical assays and ELISA assays. Any means for detecting an altered DCC protein can be used to detect loss of wild-type DCC genes. Finding a mutant DCC gene product indicates loss of a wild-type DCC gene.

Mutant DCC genes or gene products can also be detected in other human body samples, such as, serum, stool, urine and sputum. The same techniques discussed above for detection of mutant DCC genes or gene products in tissues can be applied to other body samples. Cancer cells are sloughed off from tumors and appear in such body samples. In addition, the DCC gene product itself may be secreted into the extracellular space and found in these body samples even in the absence of cancer cells. By screening such body samples, a simple early diagnosis can be achieved for many types of cancers. In addition, the progress of chemotherapy or radio therapy can be monitored more easily by testing such body samples for mutant DCC genes or gene products.

The methods of diagnosis of the present invention are applicable to any tumor in which DCC has a role in tumorigenesis. The diagnostic method of the present invention is useful for clinicians so that they can decide upon an appropriate course of treatment. For example, a tumor displaying loss of both DCC alleles might suggest a more aggressive therapeutic regimen than a tumor displaying loss of only one DCC allele.

The primer kit of the present invention is useful for determination of the nucleotide sequence of the DCC gene using the polymerase chain reaction. The kit comprises a set of pairs of single stranded DNA primers which can be annealed to sequences within or surrounding the DCC gene on chromosome 18q in order to prime amplifying DNA synthesis of the DCC gene itself. The complete set allows synthesis of all of the nucleotides of the DCC gene coding sequences, i.e., the exons. The set of primers preferably allows synthesis of both intron and exon sequences, as a number of DCC mutations have been found in a DCC intron. The kit can also contain DNA polymerase, preferably Taq polymerase, and suitable reaction buffers. Such components are known in the art.

In order to facilitate subsequent cloning of amplified sequences, primers may have restriction enzyme sites appended to their 5' ends. Thus, all nucleotides of the primers are derived from DCC sequences or sequences adjacent to DCC except the few nucleotides necessary to form a restriction enzyme site. Such enzymes and sites are well known in the art. The primers themselves can be synthesized using techniques which are well known in the art. Generally, the primers can be made using synthesizing machines which are commercially available. Given the sequence of the DCC open reading frame shown in FIG. 4, design of particular primers is well within the skill of the art.

The nucleic acid probes provided by the present invention are useful for a number of purposes. They can be used in Southern hybridization to genomic DNA and in the RNase protection method for detecting point mutations already discussed above. The probes can be used to detect PCR amplification products. They may a/so be used to detect mismatches with the DCC gene or mRNA using other techniques. Mismatches can be detected using either enzymes (e.g., S1 nuclease), chemicals (e.g., hydroxylamine or osmium tetroxide and piperidine), or changes in electrophoretic mobility of mismatched hybrids as compared to totally matched hybrids. These techniques are known in the art. See, Cotton, Supra, Shenk, supra, Myers, supra, Winter, supra, and Novack et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, vol. 83, p. 586, 1986. Generally, the probes are complementary to DCC gene coding sequences, although probes to certain introns are also contemplated. One probe in particular hybridizes to the XbaI-Eco0109 fragment located 165 bp downstream from the DCC exon in fragment P shown in FIG. 3. Another probe hybridizes to fragment P itself, and is a probe for DCC coding sequences. An entire battery of nucleic acid probes is used to compose a kit for detecting loss of wild-type DCC genes. The kit allows for hybridization to the entire DCC gene. The probes may overlap with each other or be contiguous.

If a riboprobe is used to detect mismatches with mRNA, it is complementary to the mRNA of the human wild-type DCC gene. The riboprobe thus is an anti-sense probe in that it does not code for the DCC protein because it is of the opposite polarity to the sense strand. The riboprobe generally will be radioactively labeled which can be accomplished by any means known in the art. If the riboprobe is used to detect mismatches with DNA it can be of either polarity, sense or anti-sense. Similarly, DNA probes also may be used to detect mismatches.

Nucleic acid probes may also be complementary to mutant alleles of DCC gene. These are useful to detect similar mutations in other patients on the basis of hybridization rather than mismatches. These are discussed above and referred to as allele-specific probes. As mentioned above, the DCC probes can also be used in Southern hybridizations to genomic DNA to detect gross chromosomal changes such as deletions and insertions. The probes can also be used to select cDNA clones of DCC genes from tumor and normal tissues. In addition, the probes can be used to detect DCC mRNA in tissues to determine if expression is diminished as a result of loss of wild-type DCC genes. Provided with the DCC ceding sequence shown in FIG. 4, design of particular probes is well within the skill of the ordinary artisan.

According to the present invention a method is also provided of supplying wild-type DCC function to a cell which carries mutant DCC alleles. The wild-type DCC gene or a part of the gene may be introduced into the cell in a vector such that the gene remains extrachromosomal. In such a situation the gene will be expressed by the cell from the extrachromosomal location. If a gene portion is introduced and expressed in a cell carrying a mutant DCC allele, the gene portion should encode a part of the DCC protein which is required for non-neoplastic growth of the cell. More preferred is the situation where the wild-type DCC gene or a part of it is introduced into the mutant cell in such a way that it recombines with the endogenous mutant DCC gene present in the cell. Such recombination requires a double recombination event which results in the correction of the DCC gene mutation. Vectors for introduction of genes both for recombination and for extrachromosomal maintenance are known in the art and any suitable vector may be used. Methods for introducing DNA into cells such as electroperation, calcium phosphate co-precipitation and viral transduction are known in the art and the choice of method is within the competence of the routineer. Cells transformed with the wild-type DCC-gene can be used as model systems to study cancer remission and drug treatments which promote such remission.

Polypeptides which have DCC activity can be supplied to cells which carry mutant or missing DCC alleles. The sequence of the DCC protein is disclosed in FIG. 4. Protein can be produced by expression of the cDNA sequence in bacteria, for example, using known expression vectors. Alternatively, DCC can be extracted from DCC-producing mammalian cells such as brain cells. In addition, the techniques of synthetic chemistry can be employed to synthesize DCC protein. Any of such techniques can provide the preparation of the present invention which comprises the DCC gene product having the sequence shown in FIG. 4. The preparation is substantially free of other human proteins. This is most readily accomplished by synthesis in a microorganism or in vitro. Active DCC molecules can be introduced into cells by microinjection or by use of liposomes, for example. Alternatively, some such active molecules may be taken up by cells, actively or by diffusion. Extracellular application of DCC gene product may be sufficient to effect tumor growth, as DCC may act at the cell surface like its homologues, the neural cell adhesion molecules. Supply of molecules with DCC activity should lead to a partial reversal of the neoplastic state. Other molecules with DCC activity may also be used to effect such a reversal.

The present invention also provides a preparation of antibodies immunoreactive with human DCC protein. The antibodies may be polyclonal or monoclonal and may be raised against native DCC protein or DCC fusion proteins. The antibodies should be immunoreactive with DCC epitopes, preferably epitopes not present on other human proteins. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the antibodies will immunoprecipitate DCC proteins from solution as well as react with DCC protein on Western blots of polyacrylamide gels. Techniques for raising and purifying antibodies are well known in the art and any such techniques may be chosen to achieve the preparation of the invention.

Predisposition to cancers can be ascertained by testing normal tissues of humans for mutations of DCC gene. For example, a person who has inherited a germline DCC mutation would be prone to develop cancers. This can be determined by testing DNA from any tissue of the person's body. Most simply, blood can be drawn and DNA extracted from the cells of the blood. In addition, prenatal diagnosis can be accomplished by testing fetal cells or amniotic fluid for mutations of the DCC gene. Loss of a wild-type DCC allele, whether for example, by point mutation or by deletion, can be detected by any of the means discussed above.

Molecules of cDNA according to the present invention are intron-free, DCC gene coding molecules. They can be made by reverse transcriptase using the DCC mRNA as a template. These molecules can be propagated in vectors and cell lines as is known in the art. Such molecules have the sequence shown in FIG. 4. The cDNA can also be made using the techniques of synthetic chemistry given the sequence disclosed herein.

The following are provided for exemplification purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which has been described in broad terms above.

EXAMPLE 1

This example demonstrates that the locus on chromosome 18q which is the subject of frequent allelic deletions and of somatic mutations is expressed in cell lines of lung and colorectal carcinoma.

Tumor S123 was found to have a different hybridization pattern from normal colonic mucosa of the same patient when probed with probe p15-65. The tumor displayed a heterozygous pattern with two MspI alleles of 7.8 and 10.5 kb. The normal colonic mucosa was homozygous for the 7.8 kb allele.

The p15-65 probe contains a 2.7 kb SalI-EcoRI fragment derived from sequences adjacent to and including these contained within the anonymous DNA segment OLVII E10. Marlhens, et al., Nucl. Acids. Res., vol. 15, p. 1348, 1987. OLVII E10 is an 0.8 kb Hind III-EcoRI fragment that marks the D18S8 locus at 18q21.3 and detects MspI polymorphisms in normal individuals. Plasmid p15-65 was derived from a human genomic DNA library prepared from human DNA partially digested with MboI and cloned in lambda FIX (Stratagene). Two phage clones hybridizing to OLVII E10 were isolated by hybridization selection. Among several tested subfragments from the two phage clones identified, p15-65 produced the highest signal to noise ratio when used for Southern blot experiments. Plasmid p15-65 (and OLVII E10) detect polymorphic MspI sites, and thus give rise to four alleles of 10.5, 9.7, 7.8, and 7.0 kb at frequences of 17%, 4%, 49% and 30%, respectively (N=232).

In order to determine the molecular basis of the acquisition of heterozygosity in the carcinoma tissue of patient S123, genomic DNA clones containing the effected MspI site were isolated from the carcinoma and compared to normal DNA sequences. Except for MspI, the restriction maps to this region were identical in the tumor and normal tissue of patient S123 indicating no gross DNA additions or deletions in the tumor. The affected MspI site was found to lie within an Alu-type repeated element in a 1.8 kb EcoRI fragment which is 5 kb from p15-65. The sequence of the cloned DNA fragment from the S123 tumor DNA differed from the normal allele at a single base pair, resulting in the replacement of the internal G residue within the MspI recognition sequence 5'-CCGG-3' with an A residue. This mutation created a potential 3' splice acceptor site, identical to the consensus sequence for intron-exon junctions of primate genes (Shapiro, et al., Nucleic Acids Res., vol. 15, p. 7155, 1987; Ruskin, et al., Cell, vol. 38, p. 317, 1984; and Zhuang, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, vol. 86, p. 2752, 1989.) It is noted that mutations creating splice acceptor sites associated with abnormal RNA processing have been previously found in inherited diseases, such as thalassemias (Ley, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, vol. 79, p. 4775, 1982; and Sharp, Annual Reviews of Biochem., vol. 55, p. 1119, 1986.)

Phage clones that encompassed a 35 kb region surrounding the mutated MspI site of tumor S123 were isolated. All EcoRI fragments from the phage clones were subcloned and used in hybridization experiments with Northern blots containing RNA of normal colonic mucosa and cell lines derived from tumors of the colon and several other organs. No expression was detected in these experiments, nor was expression detected in RNase protection studies of these RNA samples using selected subfragments from the phage clones. A more exhaustive strategy was therefore undertaken to identify expressed from this region of chromosome 18q.

A bidirectional chromosomal walk from this region was carried out using bacteriophage vectors. Over 140 unique clones, spanning approximately 370 kb, were isolated in 30 rounds of walking; the clones representing the maximal walk for each of the 30 rounds are shown in FIG. 1. The clones were obtained as follows.

Human genomic DNA was partially-digested with MboI and fragments of 12-18 kb were cloned in the lambda FIX vector (Stratagene) using conditions recommended by the manufacturer. Clones were propagated in E. coli C600 or TAP 90 cells (Patterson, et al., Nucleic Acids Res., vol. 15, p. 6298, 1987). For each round of walking, EcoRI maps were constructed from comparison of digests of overlapping phage clones (starting with page clones containing p15-65). EcoRI fragments mapping furthest from previously obtained phage clones were used to re-screen the library. Approximately 1×10⁶ phage clones were screened for each round of walking; three to seven new clones were generally obtained in each walk, and the clones purified through three rounds of hybridization selection.

In an effort to identify potential exons in the 370 kb region on the basis of their homology to other species, every EcoRI fragment from the region was isolated and used as a hybridization probe at reduced stringency (conditions as described in Vogelstein, et al., Cancer Res., vol. 47, p. 4806, 1987 except that the hybridization buffer contained 0.5% non-fat dried milk and filter washing was performed in 44.5 mM sodium chloride, 1.8 mM sodium citrate, 0.3 mM Tris, pH 7.5 at 55° C. for 45 minutes) to screen DNA samples from various species (mouse, rat, hamster, chicken, Xenopus and yeast). Such a strategy for the identification of exons was employed for the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene and cystic fibrosis genes. (Monaco, et al., Nature, vol. 323, p. 646, 1986 and Rommens, et al., Science, vol. 245, p. 1059, 1989). Twenty-four of the 117 EcoRI fragments hybridized to discrete DNA fragments of at least one of the species tested; these fragments are indicated by the solid boxes in FIG. 1. The patterns observed with two of the fragments producing strong cross-species hybridization are illustrated in FIG. 2. Fragment O hybridized strongly to mouse, rat, hamster, and Xenopus DNAs, and fragment P hybridized strongly to mouse, rat, and hamster DNAs.

Most of the cross-species hybridizing fragments were then used as probes to screen Northern blots prepared with RNA of various normal tissues or tumor cell lines, and also used to screen cDNA libraries from normal colonic mucosa specimens, a colorectal adenoma cell line, a brain tumor, a fibrosarcoma line, and an embryonal carcinoma line. No evidence for expression was obtained in these Northern blot studies, nor were any hybridizing clones identified in any of the cDNA libraries using the cross-hybridizing fragments as probes.

In order to determine if any of the cross-hybridizing fragments had exon-like structural features, we cloned several of the homologous fragments from the rat, and determined the regions of cross-hybridization for each fragment for both human and rat.

Rat genomic clones were obtained in two ways. In some cases, fragments identified on Southern blots by cross-species hybridization were eluted from agarose gels and cloned (as described for the human genomic clones above) using cross-hybridizing, radiolabeled human clones as probes. In other cases, MboI partial digests of rat genomic DNA were cloned in lambda DASH (Stratagene) using conditions recommended by the manufacturer, and the library was screened with homologous human clones of interest.

The cross-hybridizing regions were then subcloned and sequenced from both species; the seven regions for which this analysis was performed are G, I, J, K, M, O and P. The sizes of the regions of homology studied ranged from 128 to over 534 bp, and their homology ranged from 75-89%. The sequences were examined for open reading frames (ORFs), conservation in the predicted amino acid sequence of the ORFs, consensus mammalian splice acceptor and lariat sequences at the 5' end of the ORFs, and consensus splice donor sequences at the 3' region of the ORFs (Shapiro, et al., Nucleic Acids Res., vol. 15, p. 7155, 1987; and Ruskin et al., Cell, vol. 38, p. 317, 1984). Several of these features were found in most of the fragments sequenced. Three of the human-rat fragment pairs (fragments G, O, and P in FIGS. 1 and 3) were found to have more exon-like features than the other fragments. The region of cross-species hybridization from human fragment G and its homologous rat fragment predicted ORFs that differed at two amino acid positions (FIG. 3). Similarly, the ORFs predicted for the other two sets of fragments were highly conserved with a single amino acid substitution distinguishing human fragments O and P from their respective rat homologues (FIG. 3). For all three sets of fragments, nucleotide substitutions were predominantly at the third position of codons in the exon-like regions, and sequence homology decreased to 75% or less outside these regions.

The striking homology between the human and rat sequences and their exon-like structural features suggested that the fragments might contain potential exons. However, as noted above, no expression was detected when these three fragments were used as probes of Northern blots of various RNAs or used to screen cDNA libraries. In addition, RNase protection experiments (Winter, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, vol. 82, p. 7575, 1985), using these three fragments to generate anti-sense transcripts, failed to conclusively demonstrate evidence of expression in a variety of RNA samples, including normal colonic mucosa, colorectal cell lines, and other tumor cell lines of various types.

To increase the sensitivity of expression assays, we utilized the polymerase chain reaction (PCR, Saiki, et al., Science, vol. 239, p. 487, 1988) in an "exon-connection" strategy. cDNA was prepared from total RNA of various cell lines and tissues using reverse transcriptase to prime synthesis with random hexamers (Noonan, et al., Nucleic Acids Res., vol. 16, p. 10366, 1988). This single-stranded cDNA was then used in PCR experiments with oligonucleotide pairs derived from the sequence of two of the potential exons noted above. If the two potential exons were present in the same RNA transcript, then, using the appropriate oligonucleotides, it would be possible to amplify a cDNA product linking these two regions. Trace amounts of DNA, which often contaminate RNA preparations, would not give rise to the same sized PCR product in this assay because the exons were separated by an intron. Most pairs of oligonucleotides derived from the seven regions of human-rat homology described above did not generate discrete PCR fragments when tested by this strategy. However, an oligonucleotide pair derived from the sequence of fragments O and P of FIG. 3 was found to generate a discrete 233 bp PCR product from cDNA of several of the mRNA samples studies, including that derived from a small cell carcinoma of the lung (H82) and a colorectal carcinoma (HCT116).

The oligonucleotide derived from fragment O was 5'-TTCCGCCATGGTTTTTAAATCA-3' and the oligonucleotide derived from fragment P was 5'-AGCCTCATTTTCAGCCACACA-3'. Cycle times were 1 minute at 95° C., 1 minute at 58° C., and 2 minutes at 70° C.; twenty-five cycles were performed. The PCR products were phosphorylated using T4 DNA kinase (Bethesda Research Laboratories), ligated to EcoRI linkers (New England Biolabs), inserted into lambda gt10 phage arms (Stratagene), and cloned in E. coli C600 cells. Insert-containing clones were identified through hybridization with radiolabeled probes from fragments O and P (FIG. 3). EcoRI inserts from the phage clones were subcloned in Bluescript SK (Stratagene) and sequenced as described by S. Tabor and C. C. Richardson, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, vol. 84, p. 4767, 1987; and Kraft, et al., Biotech., vol. 6, p. 544, 1988. The PCR products from both cell lines 482 and HCT 116 were found to be the product of splicing the predicted exon of fragment O directly to the predicted exon of fragment P. Thus the region of chromosome 18q is expressed.

EXAMPLE 2

This example demonstrates the isolation and sequencing of the cDNA corresponding to the coding sequence of the gene which is deleted in colorectal carcinomas.

To confirm and extend these PCR experiments, we constructed a cDNA library from RNA of the H82 cell line (Gubler, et al., Gene, vol. 25, p. 263, 1983). Approximately 3.0×10⁶ recombinant cDNA clones were screened with genomic DNA subclones containing regions of fragments G, O, and P of FIG. 3. Four hybridizing clones were isolated and mapped with respect to one another and to the genomic clones shown in FIG. 1. The longest clone was 1.65 kb in length and hybridized to at least eleven unique EcoRI fragments in human genomic DNA, eight of which were present within the 370 kb region cloned in the chromosomal walk shown in FIG. 1. The four cDNA clones isolated were sequenced and subsequently used as probes of cDNA libraries obtained from H82 cells or from normal human brain to obtain additional cDNA clones extending for a total of 2854 base pairs. Through sequencing, all clones were found to encode overlapping portions of a transcript in which there was a single long ORF of 2250 bp, which extended to the end of the sequenced region. The ORF began with a methionine codon in a favorable context for translation initiation (nucleotide 605 in FIG. 4) according to the paradigms of Kozak, Nucl. Acids Res., vol. 15, p. 8125, 1987. The methionine was followed by a relatively hydrophobic sequence of 25 amino acids which resembled previously described signal sequences associated with membrane-bound proteins (Watson, Nucleic Acids Res., vol. 12, p. 5145, 1984). The signal sequence was immediately followed by 725 amino acids with significant homology to the neural cell adhesion molecules and other related cell surface glycoproteins. The gene encoding this transcript will be referred to as DCC (Deleted in Colorectal Carcinomas).

EXAMPLE 3

This example demonstrates that most normal tissues of rat and human produce the DCC transcript. However most colorectal tumor cell lines do not produce amounts as great as are produced in normal cells.

To identify the tissues in which the DCC gene was expressed, cDNA was prepared from several rat organs. These were: liver, kidney, adrenal, heart, lung, stomach, esophagus, spleen, small bowel, breast, bladder, uterus, aorta, psoas, brain, colon, tongue and skin. Because of the high degree of conservation of the DCC gene (see FIG. 3), the same oligonueleotide primers used to demonstrate expression in human cells could also be used in the rat. To assess expression, oligonueleotide pairs from fragments O and P of FIG. 3 were used in a PCR expression assay as described above.

Seventeen of the eighteen rat tissues tested appeared to produce the transcript at low levels, with greatest abundance observed in brain (Chomczynski, et al., Anal. Biochem., vol. 162, p. 156, 1987). Only the liver did not produce detectable transcript. Similar analysis of human tissues and cell lines revealed that the transcript was present in highest concentration in brain, and was also expressed in normal colonic mucosa and in several tumor cell lines, including those derived from tumors of the lung, brain and mesenchyme (FIG. 5 and data not shown). In most colorectal carcinomas, however, expression was greatly reduced or absent; of seventeen colorectal tumor cell lines studied, only two expressed DCC mRNA at levee in excess of 5% of that produced in normal colonic mucosa (examples in FIG. 5). The human colorectal carcinoma cell lines used were: lane 6, SW948; lane 7, SW1417; lane 8, SW1116; lane 9, SW403; lane 10, SW1463; lane 11, SW48; lane 12, HCT116; lane 13, RKO; lane 14, RCA; lane 15, "C"; lane 16, MOSER.

To determine the size of the transcript produced from this gene, Northern blots containing RNA from normal colonic mucosa or brain were hybridized with radioactively labelled cDNA clones. A major band of 10-12 kb was observed in normal brain RNA, but no bands were seen in the RNA from colonic mucosa (data not shown), consistent with the higher level of expression observed in brain by PCR analysis.

EXAMPLE 4

This example demonstrates that the boundary of the deletion of one of the alleles in the S115 tumor is within the DCC gene and that rearrangements of the gene can be detected in human cells using cDNA probes.

In an attempt to establish the boundaries of the homozygous loss in the S115 tumor with respect to the DCC gene, the cDNA clones were used to probe Southern blots containing S115 DNA. A 430 bp subclone (pKC430, representing nucleotide 1760 to 2205 of the cDNA) detected three EcoRI fragments of 20 kb, 10 kb, and 1.8 kb in DNA from non-neoplastic colonic mucosa of patient S115. However, in DNA from the S115 tumor, the 20 kb fragment was not detected and the 10 kb and 1.8 kb fragments were present at approximately half the intensity observed in normal DNA. In addition, a new fragment of 5 kb was observed only in DNA from the tumor. Probes more 3' than pKC430 also detected fragments in tumor DNA which were present at half the intensity of those seen in normal DNA, while probes 5' of pKC430 detected fragments which were homozygously deleted in the tumor. Thus, the DCC gene appeared to be broken by the deletion event on one of the two copies of chromosome 18, and the breakpoint established one boundary of the homozygous loss.

EXAMPLE 5

This example demonstrates that the cDNA probes of the present invention can be used to detect genetic alterations in DNA samples isolated from colorectal tumors.

To search for other genetic alterations, the cDNA probes were used in Southern blot analysis of colorectal tumor DNA samples. DNA from normal and tumor DNA samples were digested with EcoRI and Eco0109 and Southern blots were prepared as described above. The DNA was then hybridized to a 0.4 kb genomic fragment which contained the exon from fragment P.

Three of 51 primary tumors and two of twenty-one tumor xenografts were found to have new fragments not present in normal DNA of the same patient. In addition, five of twenty-two colorectal tumor cell lines were found to have altered fragments not present in forty-four DNA samples from normal individuals nor in any of the 45 DNA samples from tumor cell lines derived from tissues other than that of the colon or rectum.

In all cases, detailed mapping experiments showed that the new fragments detected by the cDNA probe resulted from insertions in an approximately 170 kb XbaI-Eco0109 fragment located 165 bp downstream of the exon in fragment P of FIG. 3. The insertions were mapped by comparison of Southern blot patterns produced by digestion of tumor DNA samples with a combination of XbaI and Eco0109, and HindIII. The size of the insertion in the tumors varied from 120-300 bp. Some variation in the size of the Xba1-Eco0109 fragment in alleles from normal individuals was seen; however, the maximal difference between the size of the smallest and largest of the 88 normal alleles studied was approximately 35 bp, and the largest of the normal alleles was found to be approximately 120 bp smaller than any of the altered alleles seen in the tumors.

The 1.4 kb EcoRI fragment (fragment P) containing the insertion site was isolated from one of the genomic clones of the chromosome walk (FIG. 1) and sequenced; the sequence of the 170 bp XbaI-Eco0109 fragment from this fragment is shown in FIG. 6. There were two regions of TA repeats in the XbaI-Eco0109 fragment; one of the regions had eight repeats and the other had twenty-six. Both TA repeat regions were contained within a 130 bp region of alternating purine-pyrimidine base pairs which could potentially form Z-DNA (Rich, et al., Annu. Rev. Biochem., vol. 53, p. 791, 1984).

EXAMPLE 6

This example demonstrates the sequence similarity between four immunoglobulin-like domains of the DCC gene with the chicken N-CAM and mouse N-CAM genes.

The predicted amino acids sequence of DCC is highly homologous to the neural cell adhesion molecules (N-CAM) and other related cell surface glycoproteins. (Edelman, Biochem., vol. 27, p. 3535, 1988). Two areas of high homology are noted. First the DCC gene contains four immunoglobulin-like (Ig-like) domains of the C2 class, defined by pairs of cysteines separated by 50 to 56 amino acids and other highly conserved residues surrounding the first and second cysteine of each pair. (See FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C and Williams, Ann. Rev. Immunol., vol. 6, p. 381, 1988).

Sequences of the domains were aligned by inspection and spaces, indicated by dashes were inserted to give the greatest overall match. Residues in two or more of the DCC domains were boxed if they were identical. Each Ig-like domain is approximately 100 amino acids in length. DCC domain no. 1 includes amino acids 40 to 139 (numbered 247 to 340 in FIG. 4), domain no. 2 includes amino acids 140-239 (numbered 341-440 in FIG. 4), domain no. 3 includes amino acids 240-332 (numbered 441-533 in FIG. 4), and domain no. 4 includes amino acids 333-422 (numbered 534-623 in FIG. 4). The four Ig-like domains of DCC were found to be more homologous to one another than to N-CAM L1, or other members of the Ig superfamily. A consensus sequence for the four Ig-like domains of DCC could be derived for 67% of the positions; the DCC consensus sequence matched the N-CAM consensus sequence at 42% of these positions.

Sequence homology between the DCC and chicken and mouse N-CAM genes was also found in the fibronectin-type III-related regions. DCC amino acid positions 423 to 605 (numbered 624 to 806 in FIG. 4) were compared to amino acids 481 to 662 of the two N-CAM proteins. Potential sites of N-linked glycosylation are found at several positions within this region.

The fibronectin-type III-related domain is similar to the fibronectin-like domains present in N-CAM, L1, leucocyte common antigen related gene 1 (Lar1), fasciclin II, and other members of the cell adhesion molecule family. These fibronectin-related domains are carboxyl to the Ig-like domain in all of these proteins including DCC. Of 195 positions within the fibronectin-like region of DCC, 31% were identical in DCC and N-CAM and several conservative substitutions were also found (FIGS. 7D and 7E). The extensive homologics in both Ig-like and fibronectin-like domains between DCC and other members of this family suggest that these proteins may all have been derived from a common precursor that included both these regions.

EXAMPLE 7

This example demonstrates the expression of the DCC protein in bacteria and the production of anti-DCC antibodies.

The DCC cDNA sequence shown in FIG. 4 was inserted in a bacterial expression vector, pEX2. The vector will produce the protein of any open reading frame as a fusion product with beta-galactosidase. (See Stanley, et al., The EMBO Journal, vol. 3, pp. 1429-1434, 1984.) The bacterially expressed DCC protein was partially purified and injected into rabbits together with Freund's adjuvant. The rabbits were given three monthly booster injections. The rabbits produced antibodies which immunoprecipitate DCC proteins synthesized in in vitro translation reactions. The antibodies also bind to DCC on Western blots. 

I claim:
 1. A method of assessing genetic change in a tissue of a human, comprising:detecting loss of wild-type DCC (Deleted in Colorectal Cancer) gene sequences as shown in FIG. 4 from nucleotide 1 to 5168 or their expression products in an isolated first tissue suspected of being neoplastic, said loss indicating a genetic change in the tissue.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the expression products are mRNA molecules.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the loss of wild-type DCC mRNA is detected by Northern hybridization of mRNA from said tissue to a DCC gene sequence probe, wherein said probe comprises all or part of the nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 4 from nucleotide 1 to 5186, and wherein said probe is of sufficient length to specifically hybridize to DCC mRNA under stringent hybridization conditions.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein loss of wild-type DCC gene sequences is detected by Southern hybridization of a DCC gene sequence probe to genomic DNA isolated from said tissue, wherein said probe comprises all or part of the nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 4 from nucleotide 1 to 5168, and wherein said probe is of sufficient length to specifically hybridize to DCC genomic DNA under stringent hybridization conditions.
 5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:subjecting genomic DNA isolated from a non-neoplastic tissue of the human to Southern hybridization with the DCC gene sequence probe; and comparing the hybridization pattern of the DCC gene probe to said first tissue with the hybridization pattern of the DCC gene probe to said non-neoplastic tissue.
 6. The method of claim 4 wherein the DCC gene probe detects a restriction fragment length polymorphism.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the loss of wild-type DCC gene sequences is detected by determining the sequence of all or part of a DCC gene in said tissue using a polymerase chain reaction, deviations in the DCC sequence determined from that of the sequence shown in FIG. 4 from nucleotide 1 to 5168 indicating a genetic change in the tissue.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the loss of wild-type DCC gene sequences is detected by identifying a mismatch between molecules (1) a DCC gene or DCC mRNA isolated from said tissue and (2) a nucleic acid probe complementary to the human wild-type DCC gene sequence, when molecules (1) and (2) are hybridized to each other to form a duplex, wherein said nucleic acid probe comprises all or part of the nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 4 from nucleotide 1 to 5186, and wherein said probe is of sufficient length to specifically hybridize to DCC mRNA under stringent hybridization conditions.
 9. The method of claim 4 wherein the DCC gene probe hybridizes to the human 1.4 kb EcoRI fragment P shown in FIG.
 3. 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the loss of wild-type DCC gene sequences is detected by amplification of DCC gene sequences in said tissue and hybridization of the amplified DCC sequences to nucleic acid probes which comprise DCC sequences.
 11. The method of claim 1 wherein the loss of wild-type DCC gene sequences is detected by molecular cloning of the DCC genes in said tissue and sequencing all or part of the cloned DCC gene.
 12. The method of claim 1 wherein the detection of loss of wild-type DCC gene sequences comprises screening for a deletion mutation.
 13. The method of claim 1 wherein the detection of loss of wild-type DCC gene sequences comprises screening for a point mutation.
 14. The method of claim 1 wherein the detection of loss of wild-type DCC gene sequences comprises screening for an insertion mutation.
 15. The method of claim 1 wherein the tissue isolated from a human is from colonic mucosa.
 16. The method of claim 1 wherein the expression products are protein molecules.
 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the genetic change is a deletion which is detectable by Western blotting.
 18. A method of detecting the presence of a neoplastic tissue in a human, comprising:detecting in a body sample isolated from a human, loss or significant decrease in DCC expression product or a mutation in a wild-type DCC gene coding sequence as shown in FIG. 4 from nucleotide 1 to 5186 wherein said mutation is selected from the group consisting of an insertion, a deletion, and a point mutation which leads to significantly decreased expression of DCC gene product, said loss or significant decrease in DCC expression product or mutation indicating the presence of a neoplastic tissue in the human.
 19. The method of claim 18 wherein said body sample is selected from the group consisting of serum, stool, urine and sputum.
 20. A method of detecting germline mutations in a DCC gene in a human comprising:detecting loss of wild-type DCC gene coding sequences as shown in FIG. 4 from nucleotide 1 to 5168 or their expression products from a sample isolated from a human, said sample selected from the group consisting of blood and fetal tissue, said loss indicating a germline mutation.
 21. The method of claim 20 wherein the expression products are mRNA molecules.
 22. The method of claim 21 wherein the loss of wild-type DCC mRNA is detected by Northern hybridization of mRNA from said tissue to a DCC gene probe, wherein said probe comprises all or part of the nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 4 from nucleotide 1 to 5186, and wherein said probe is of sufficient length to specifically hybridize to DCC mRNA under stringent hybridization conditions.
 23. The method of claim 20 wherein loss of wild-type DCC gene sequences is detected by Southern hybridization of a DCC gene sequence probe to genomic DNA isolated from said tissue, wherein said probe comprises all or part of the nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 4 from nucleotide 1 to 5168, and wherein said probe is of sufficient length to specifically hybridize to DCC mRNA under stringent hybridization conditions.
 24. The method of claim 23 wherein the DCC gene sequence probe detects a restriction fragment length polymorphism.
 25. The method of claim 20 wherein the loss of wild-type DCC gene sequences is detected by determining the sequence of all or part of a DCC gene in said tissue using polymerase chain reaction, deviations in the DCC sequence determined from the sequence of FIG. 4 from nucleotide 1 to 5168 indicating a germline mutation.
 26. The method of claim 20 wherein the loss of wild-type DCC gene sequences is detected by identifying a mismatch between molecules (1) a DCC gene or DCC mRNA isolated from said tissue and (2) a nucleic acid probe complementary to the human wild-type DCC gene sequence, when molecules (1) and (2) are hybridized to each other to form a duplex, wherein said probe comprises all or part of the nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 4 from nucleotide 1 to 5186, and wherein said probe is of sufficient length to specifically hybridize to DCC mRNA under stringent hybridization conditions.
 27. The method of claim 23 wherein the DCC gene probe hybridizes to the human 1.4 kb EcoRI fragment P shown in FIG.
 3. 28. The method of claim 20 wherein the loss of wild-type DCC gene sequences is detected by amplification of DCC gene sequences in said tissue and hybridization of the amplified DCC sequences to nucleic acid probes which comprise DCC gene sequences.
 29. The method of claim 20 wherein the loss of wild-type DCC gene sequences is detected by molecular cloning of the DCC genes in said tissue and sequencing all or part of the cloned DCC gene.
 30. The method of claim 20 wherein the detection of loss of wild-type DCC gene sequences comprises screening for a deletion mutation.
 31. The method of claim 20 wherein the detection of loss of wild-type DCC gene sequences comprises screening for a point mutation.
 32. The method of claim 20 wherein the detection of loss of wild-type DCC gene sequences comprises screening for an insertion mutation.
 33. The method of claim 20 wherein the expression products are protein molecules.
 34. The method of claim 20 wherein the germline mutation is a deletion which can be detected by Western blotting. 